


A Gift of Hope

by PyroKlepto



Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, Cain/Colette - Freeform, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-27
Updated: 2015-12-27
Packaged: 2018-05-09 17:47:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5549705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PyroKlepto/pseuds/PyroKlepto
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A widow struggles to embrace the holiday season until she meets a charming tree-shop owner who gives her a special ornament symbolizing hope.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Gift of Hope

**Author's Note:**

> This is another fic I wrote for Grigiocuore as a Christmas gift. This time, it's a Supernatural AU focusing on Cain and Colette. I'm a sucker for Hallmark films, so when Grig mentioned how perfect one of the prompts in a Hallmark-inspired prompt list would be for Cain and Colette, I just had to write it. So this is what came of that. Enjoy!

It was two weeks before Christmas. Usually the holiday spirit had already bloomed by this time for Colette, but not this year.

Two years ago, her husband had passed away. It had not been a surprise - he had been ill for some time - but that never dulled the pain of losing him. And now, during what should be the most joyful time of the year, she found it difficult to even bother with any of the festive activities she usually participated in. 

Christmas was the hardest time for her, for it had been her and Michael’s favourite time of the year, and she knew he wouldn’t have wanted her to spend it in mourning. So she was making the effort. And in some ways, it was soothing - the Christmas music, the twinkling lights… it almost made her feel as though he was still with her. 

Colette had been putting off finding a tree, partially because she wasn’t sure she could bring it home by herself - usually Michael had helped her. Last year her brother had been visiting and helped instead; he wasn’t here now. But Christmas didn’t seem like Christmas without a tree to fill the house with the fragrance of pine.

So Colette bundled up in a dark red sweater, her coat, and a white scarf before walking outside to the car. She could easily walk to town - from where she lived, it was only a half an hour to walk - but she needed some way to hopefully get the tree home.

Snowflakes drifted lazily from the sky, as they had all day. There wasn’t much snow, but enough had fallen to turn the ground white. It gave the evening a serenity that somehow wasn’t present at other times. 

“ _Silent night… holy night… all is calm, all is bright…_ ” The radio crooned Christmas classics through the speakers, and Colette allowed herself to shut everything out of her mind except the road in front of her and the music. 

The town was all aglow with lights and smiles as families finished their shopping and made their way to their cars, and couples sat in restaurants and laughed. While part of her felt the pang of sadness that she couldn’t experience that happiness, mostly she was glad that others were so joyful. 

Colette kept an eye out for her destination. The tree farm she and Michael had once bought their trees from had closed down some time ago, but a friend in town said that a man had recently opened a tree-shop of sorts a few weeks ago. So, at a loss for anywhere else to buy a tree, Colette found herself searching for it.

Having no address proved, however, to make this difficult. So she parked outside a coffeeshop, opened the door, and got out, intending to ask someone for directions. She hadn’t been to town since this new tree-shop had opened, so she hadn’t the slightest clue where to look.

Just as she reached for the door of the coffeeshop, lost in thought, someone else opened it, nearly colliding with her. Colette stumbled backwards, her foot slipping on the edge of the curb. Before she could fall too far, someone took her arm, steadying her. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

She stepped back once she had regained her footing and looked up at the man in front of her. He was dressed in dark jeans and a battered brown coat that seemed to be made out of some sort of soft leather - suede, perhaps. A tartan-patterned scarf hung around his neck, and he held a red cup of coffee in his left hand. Slightly curly dark hair brushed his shoulders, framing a bearded face and piercing blue eyes.

Colette hesitated before regaining her composure. “It’s… it’s alright, I’m not hurt. I should have been paying more attention.”

He smiled at her. “I should have as well.” He glanced idly up at the snowflakes spiraling through the air. 

After a brief pause, Colette asked, “I’m actually looking for a tree-shop that was recently opened here. I’ve not been in town since it opened, and I wanted to see if I could find a tree. Do you know where it is?”

The man’s eyes crinkled a little in the corners as his smile grew a bit wider. “I certainly hope I know where it is.” He held out his free hand. “I’m Cain. I’m the owner of that particular tree-shop.”

Colette laughed a little, glad for the cold; any colour to her cheeks could be blamed on that rather than embarrassment. She shook his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Colette Mullen.”

There was a moment of silence, and then Cain motioned down the street. “Well, if you’d like me to show you where the tree-shop is, I can. It’s not too far from here.”

“Yes, please,” Colette replied, reaching up and tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. 

“All right.” Cain transferred his cup of coffee from his left hand to the right one. “Just follow me.” He started walking down the sidewalk. At first, Colette didn’t think much of it, opening the door to the driver’s seat. Then she noted he didn’t stop by any of the parked cars and kept walking past them. 

A little surprised, she drove down the street and slowed alongside him, opening the window. “What are you doing?”

He glanced sideways, quirking an eyebrow. “Showing you the way,” he replied.

“Yes, but why are you walking?” Colette asked. “Don’t you have a car?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t use it to get here. I walked.” Cain grinned. “It’s okay, I can handle a bit of cold.”

Colette was torn between amusement and confusion. She stopped the car completely. “Let me give you a ride. You can give me directions from here.”

Cain stopped, his grin fading into a more thoughtful and slightly bemused expression. “Are you sure? I really don’t mind walking.”

“Yes, I’m sure,” Colette responded sternly. “I can’t just let you walk in the cold when I’ve an empty seat.”

He blinked at her for a long moment of silence, looking dumbfounded. He reached for the door handle, hesitated, and then carefully opened it and settled into the passenger seat. “Thank you, ma’am.”

“Oh, no need to call me that,” Colette said, wrinkling her nose. “It makes me feel old. Do I turn here?”

“No, you turn at the next corner,” Cain replied. “And very well, I won’t call you ma’am.”

The drive went uneventfully, and Cain’s directions proved helpful - they reached their destination within a few minutes, just outside of town. There was a fenced area where trees were propped up, just as Colette had expected, but behind that was a small field where several dozen trees grew. 

“It’s more or less a tree farm,” Cain admitted as she parked the car. “I’m not sure who told you it was a tree-shop, but I suppose it is in a way.” He nodded at the trees inside the fenced area. “Maybe they only got close enough to see those.”

Colette shut the engine off and exited the car; Cain followed suit. “Do you know how big you want your tree? I have most sizes, I think.” 

She almost said she wanted a small tree, but - out of a lifelong habit - Colette replied, “Do you know if you have any around seven feet tall?”

“Yes, there were a few last time I checked,” Cain replied. “I have one here; there are probably four or five more out in the field.” He took a stick from the ground and used it to sweep snow off the hood of a grey pick-up truck. Then he set his coffee cup down on the hood and turned around. “Come on, I’ll show you.”

Colette followed him to where the trees were. The wind toyed with the fringe on her scarf, and the muted crunch of her shoes and Cain’s boots in the snow sounded in the chilly air. They walked among rows of trees for a few moments before Cain stopped, then very carefully chose a tree and stood it upright, holding it in place. “This is seven feet exactly.”

Her silence as she tried to decide whether she liked the tree or not was clearly telling. Cain gently returned the tree to its spot. “Do you want to go see the trees in the field before you make a decision?”

“Yes, please,” Colette said, smiling sheepishly. “Sorry, I’m just not entirely sure what I’m searching for.”

“Choosing a Christmas tree is important. It’s good that you don’t take it lightly,” Cain replied lightly. He walked to a small building - it didn’t seem to have more than two rooms at best - and disappeared for a moment. When he emerged, he held a large flashlight. “Just in case we’re still looking at trees when it gets darker,” he explained, tipping his head back to indicate the sky, which - previously grey - was now slowly growing bluer as light faded.

The two of them made their way down to the field, and Cain would point out the various sizes of each tree as they walked past. It was one of the last trees - just a few inches over seven feet - that caught Colette’s eye, and she stopped.

Some of the boughs were a little bent, and the shape of the tree wasn’t quite even, but somehow it was perfect anyway. The faint crunching of Cain’s boots stopped as he realised she hadn’t followed him, and he came back. “You like this one? You didn’t say anything when I showed it to you, so I assumed you were looking for something different. Sorry about that.”

“It’s alright,” Colette replied, smiling a bit and looking back at the tree.

Cain watched her for a moment with a curious smile. “So do you want me to cut it down and bring it back to the lot?”

“Yes, please. Sorry for taking so long to decide,” Colette said.

“No, it’s alright,” Cain replied. “How about you go back to my office, where it’s a little warmer, and I’ll bring the tree up there as soon as I can?”

Colette nodded, thanking him again before making her way back to the little building near the lot. Before walking inside, she made a detour to the truck and took Cain’s coffee with her. Inside the building, she looked around. The office had sparse furnishing and decor - there was a desk, a small shelf of books, a rug, a stove used mainly to heat the room… beyond a few other knick-knacks one found in offices (pens, a filing cabinet, a computer, and those sorts of things), there wasn’t much else.

She moved the chair closer to the stove and placed the coffee cup on top of it, hoping it would warm up before Cain returned. Then she waited.

About ten minutes later, there was a scuffling sound outside. The door opened a moment later, and Cain - snowflakes scattered through his hair and pine needles clinging to his coat - stepped inside. “The tree’s outside. I had a question, though, if I may.”

“Of course.” Colette stood up, turning to face him.

“Your car…” Cain paused, as though thinking of how to word it. “It’s a bit small, and I don’t have anything to strap the tree to the top with. I haven’t gotten around to buying equipment for that yet. If you have some in the trunk, we could use that, but if not, I was wondering if me taking the tree to your house for you using my truck would be an alternative. There aren’t really a lot of options, but I figured I should ask.”

Colette hesitated. “You’re sure it won’t be an inconvenience…? I could always come back tomorrow or some other time.”

“Not an inconvenience at all,” Cain responded. He nodded at the clock. “It’s getting late, and it’s time for me to close down for the night anyway; I don’t have to worry about missing any other customers. Just give me a few minutes to get your tree into the bed of my truck, and lock up.”

Colette nodded. “Thank you, truly.” She started for the door, but he held out a hand in a ‘stop’ gesture. She looked quizzically at him. 

“Stay in here, if you like. It’s warmer. I have to take care of the tree first; I don’t want you to have to stand out in the snow,” Cain said.

Colette smiled, laughing a little bit. “Okay. Thank you again; you’re too kind.”

He returned the smile with a slightly awkward shrug, then disappeared out into the night air again. 

Before too long, he walked back inside and reported that the tree was loaded into his truck, and that all he had to do was lock up the office, and then he could follow her to where she needed the tree. 

Colette nodded and started for the door before remembering the coffee cup on the stove. She turned around and picked it up, handing it to Cain. “You left your coffee on the truck; I brought it inside earlier. I hope it’s warm again.”

He looked surprised, again - it was the same expression with raised eyebrows and slightly widened eyes, as though he wasn’t entirely used to someone showing him kindness. Colette found it interesting and wondered what his story was - everyone had one, she had discovered. But she said nothing.

“Thank you.” He accepted the cup, taking a quick sip. “It is.” He opened the door and stepped outside, keeping it open until Colette had exited the building. Then he turned a key in the lock before making his way toward his truck. He waited until Colette was safely inside her car before following suit, and then they were off.

 

Colette held the door open while Cain, with great care, brought the tree inside. “Where do you want it?”

“The living room beside the fireplace, if it fits,” Colette said. “It should; we had a tree this size a few years ago.” She watched him manoeuvre the tree into the living room and asked with a small amount of concern, “Do you need help…?”

He chuckled, the sound muffled by pine branches. “No, I have it. Thank you for the offer though.” He carefully situated the tree on its stand by the fireplace, then glanced over his shoulder for any further direction.

“That’s perfect,” Colette murmured, lost in thought. Looking over at him again, she added, “Thank you so much, really. How much do I owe you?”

“The tree is thirty five dollars,” Cain replied. While she opened her purse, he made his way to the sink and shook pine needles from his hair before washing them down the drain. 

“What about the transportation?” Colette asked.

“Nothing.” Cain noticed her perplexed gaze, and added, “It doesn’t cost you anything. It was free.”

“Well, I… thank you,” Colette managed to say. “That’s very kind of you… can I get you anything before you leave? Tea, coffee, something to eat?” She handed the money over to him.

“No, it’s alright.” He looked around. “You haven’t put the Christmas decorations up yet, I see?” It was an innocent remark, slightly curious but not in any way accusatory.

Colette laughed a little, but her heart wasn’t quite in it. “No, not yet. I’m doing Christmas a little differently this year…”

After a beat of silence, Cain cleared his throat, still standing awkwardly in the living room. “I, uh… I noticed that when I asked you where you wanted the tree, you mentioned ‘we’. It sounded past tense though, and I know what it’s like to spend Christmas alone, so I…” He paused, clearly struggling with how to word his question politely. “I guess I just wanted to make sure everything is alright, or if you need help with anything…” He cut himself off. “Actually, I’m sorry. We hardly know each other and this is overstepping my boundaries. Forgive me.”

His fumbling was a bit charming, in an odd sort of way. Colette smiled slightly. “No, it’s alright. You were correct; my husband passed away two years ago.”

Cain tilted his head, lips turning downward in a sympathetic frown. “I’m sorry.”

She shrugged, uncertain of how to respond.”It has been two years.” 

They stood silently for a long moment. Then Cain, who had appeared to be lost in thought, shifted his weight from foot to foot. “I ought to leave now. If you ever need anything, I’m at my tree farm most of the time. If I’m not there, I’m staying at the inn.”

“Thank you. The same goes for you,” Colette replied, walking with him to the door.

Cain reached for the doorknob, then stopped in a decisive sort of manner. He reached into his pocket. “Just a moment…” A moment later, he withdrew a small object from his coat pocket and offered it to her.

Colette accepted it and discovered it was a Christmas ornament - an anchor, made of some sort of golden-coloured metal with a tiny green ribbon tied to the bottom in a loose bow. Unable to find words, she looked questioningly at Cain.

“It’s, uh…” He rubbed at the back of his neck, setting his scarf askew. “The anchor is a symbol of hope. It remains steady in the stormiest seas, no matter what. St. Paul said, ‘which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast’. I want you to have it.”

“I…” Colette laughed a little, still surprised. She blinked back a few stray tears that threatened to fall. “Thank you, truly. I don’t understand why you’d give this to me, though.”

Cain smiled, straightening his scarf a little. “Some people need a bit of extra hope during the holidays, that’s all. I should be going home now.”

Still nearly speechless, Colette nodded. “All right.” She opened the door, shivering in the sudden burst of cold. “Goodnight, and thank you so much - for everything.” 

Cain stepped backwards out onto the porch. “It was my pleasure. Goodnight to you too.” He raised his hand in a wave, and then walked away through the snow. Colette shut the door, then went to the window and watched until the lights of his truck disappeared into the dark.

 

“Good morning, Ella,” Colette said into the phone through a yawn.

“You sound tired. Did you sleep in? You’ve usually been awake for two hours by now!” Colette’s friend responded.

“I had a rough night,” Colette admitted, monitoring the tea brewing on the stove and the oatmeal next to it.

“Lonely?” Ella asked, sounding sympathetic. 

“I suppose,” Colette sighed. “It happens sometimes. I’ll be alright.”

There was a beat of silence, and then Ella remarked, “So, I was out driving with the boys the other day, to get them pizza for supper, and I saw you at the coffeeshop across the street with that new guy in town. The one with the tree-shop place.”

“Yeah, I was buying a tree,” Colette replied absentmindedly, stirring the oatmeal and adding some cinnamon.

“You know… I sensed a bit of chemistry going on there.” Ella’s voice was pointed.

Colette tipped her head back and stared at the ceiling with another sigh. “Ella, no. He’s just a nice man who helped me find a tree and get it home.” She refused to admit that she had been thinking about Cain far more than she ought to; it was just her usual habit of trying to figure out the story behind a stranger, it wasn’t anything more that caused her to think about him so much. Just curiosity, and that was all, she told herself.

“Colette, Michael would have wanted you to move on,” Ella said gently. “It’s been two years. He wouldn’t want you to be alone like this, and you know it.”

“I’m not alone. I have you, and I have the people I work with at the bookstore,” Colette responded.

“You know what I mean. Why don’t you at least try to get to know him?”

“There are no feelings between us,” Colette said firmly, stirring the oatmeal a little quicker. “I’ve told you already, I’m not going to fall in love again.”

“That isn’t how it works. Falling in love isn’t a choice. It just happens,” Ella responded. “I know a lot about this sort of thing, and I saw the way you were looking at him.”

“Ella, I don’t feel like talking about this right now,” Colette said in as kindly a manner as she could. “I’m trying to make breakfast so I can get to work on time. Did you need something?”

“I was just calling to say hello. Oh! And I also wanted to know if you could meet me at the coffeeshop tomorrow at noon. We haven’t seen each other in what feels like ages, and we should catch up properly.”

“Um…” Colette glanced at the calendar. “Yes, I can make it. Noon for sure?”

“Yes, that’s right. Be sure to sit at the table near the window; there’s nothing like having some coffee and looking out at the festive decorations.” Ella’s voice was chipper. “See you tomorrow, then?”

“Of course.” Colette poured some of the now-boiling tea into a cup. “Have a good day, Ella.” 

Ella returned the sentiment and hung up. Colette finished making her breakfast and prepared to start her day.

 

Colette glanced at the clock on the wall in the coffeeshop. The time was 12:23. 

She didn’t mind overly much. Ella was often late - having a husband and two lively little boys didn’t help one to arrive places on time. Anyway, the coffeeshop’s atmosphere at this time of year was lovely; there were pine garlands with red bows hanging alongside the top of the windows, and a wreath hung on the door. A small artificial tree stood in the corner, decorated with multicolour lights and an eclectic mix of old and new ornaments. Several were handmade by young children; boys and girls often came to the coffeeshop with their parents and gave the baristas ornaments they made as ‘payment’ for their hot cocoa. 

It was a unified decision by everyone who worked in the coffeeshop to take these tokens of gratitude and put them on the tree, lending a very welcoming and warming charm to the tree.

So, in no hurry at all - it was her day off, after all - Colette sipped her gingerbread tea and read the book she had brought with her; _Anne of Green Gables_ by Lucy Maud Montgomery, one of her favourite stories. Snow sparkled outside the window she sat beside.

A chill rose in the air as someone entered the coffeeshop and walked up to the counter. Colette was aware of this new happening but didn’t look up - she needed to finish this chapter. If it was Ella, she’d sit down soon enough anyway.

The chair across from her made a brief scraping sound, but then it stopped. She looked up, expecting to see Ella.

Instead, there was Cain, looking just as surprised to see her as she was to see him. 

“I’m sorry,” he said, letting go of the chair. “I didn’t expect anyone else to be sitting here. It’s usually empty. I wasn’t paying attention, it’s my fault.”

“That’s… that’s okay,” Colette said, smiling cordially. “I’m just waiting for my friend Ella.”

He nodded. “I hope you have a good day.” With a smile, he turned and started to walk away.

“If you wanted to sit here, you can until she arrives,” Colette said before he could disappear. She wasn’t sure why she said that - it had just happened. “She has two young sons, so she’s often very late.”

He glanced over his shoulder, his brow furrowing a little in that surprised, confused way they did. “If you’re sure. I can sit somewhere else, it’s no trouble at all, really.”

“It’s also no trouble for you to sit here,” Colette replied teasingly, somehow hoping he wouldn’t leave so soon. “It’s okay. I just finished this chapter, so I’d enjoy the company.”

Cain made his way back and slid into the chair. He set his coffee down on the table. “How are you today?”

“I’m well; and you?” Colette closed her book, taking a sip of her tea. 

“I’m well too.” He was wearing the same scarf he had been wearing a few days prior, but a different coat; this one was was black and made of wool rather than leather. 

The two of them talked for almost an hour and a half; about their days, how their jobs were working out ( he had been to the bookstore Colette worked in once, but she hadn’t been working that day), and what their favourite caffeinated beverages were.

It was only after so much time passed that Colette realised that if Ella hadn’t showed up by now, she wasn’t going to. And somehow… that didn’t bother her as much as it probably should have.

“I hate to cut our conversation off short like this, but it’s about time I got back to the tree farm,” Cain said apologetically during a pause in their discussion about Tolkien, Colette’s mischievous young cat. “This has been a wonderful afternoon though; thank you. I’m sorry your friend didn’t show up.”

“That’s okay. I had a lovely time too.” Colette smiled. 

“Um…” Cain cleared his throat, drumming his fingertips twice on the coffee cup he held. “I’m not doing anything on Saturday. And I’m still new enough to town that I haven’t really explored much. I was wondering if you might be able to show me around. I normally wouldn’t bother you with that, but you’re the only friend I’ve met here so far, and–” He paused. “It’s alright if I call you a friend, right?”

Colette laughed. “Of course. And I’d be happy to show you around. It is a small town though, so I’m afraid there isn’t much to see.” 

Cain smiled. “That’s alright. Well… have a good day.”

“You too!”

 

Later at home, Colette dialed Ella’s number and waited for a response. Sure enough, after a few rings, she heard Ella’s voice. “Hello?”

“Ella, it’s Colette. I was wondering if everything is alright; you weren’t at the coffeeshop earlier.”

“Oh, everything is fine,” Ella replied. “So, did you have a nice time with Cain?”

“Then why…” Colette trailed off as Ella’s question registered. “Ella, you didn’t…!”

Ella giggled. “I’ve noticed he goes to the coffeeshop like clockwork at 12:30, and sits down at the window to drink his coffee and sometimes eat whatever pastry he bought. So I decided to help move things along a little by putting you two in the same place at the same time.”

“Ella, you’re terrible!” Colette gasped, trying to sound angry but only succeeding in sounding slightly scandalized.

“Did you have a nice time?” Ella persisted. 

Colette stammered for a few moments, trying to find words, and then sighed heavily. “Yes, I did…”

“And?”

Another sigh from Colette. “And I’m going to be showing him around town on Saturday. It’s not a date, he just needs a guide to show him where everything is.”

Ella giggled again. “It’s absolutely a date, Colette.”

“Ella,” Colette groaned. “Stop.” 

“You can’t run from love forever,” Ella replied. “It’s not what Michael would have wanted. It’s not what I want. You deserve to be happy.”

Colette gazed at the Christmas tree with only a quiet ‘mm’ in response. The small golden anchor hung from one of the boughs, the twinkling white lights reflected on its surface.

 

Despite Colette’s exasperation with Ella, only a few more days passed before Colette realised she couldn’t deny the fact that her friend was right - she had fallen in love again. 

Her interactions with Cain had not stopped after the tour she gave him of the town. They had met at the coffeeshop multiple times since then. 

Now today, four days before Christmas, he was at her house again, putting up the Christmas lights on the roof. Colette had never done it herself before; and truth be told, the idea of climbing a ladder and wrestling with Christmas lights worried her a little.

She opened the door and stepped outside again, breath clouding in front of her face. She looked up, seeing Cain, who was perched on the edge of the roof with a strand of green Christmas lights. Snowflakes dotted his hair and beard, and his cheeks and nose were a pale shade of pink from the biting cold. 

“Are you sure you don’t need help?” Colette asked, frowning.

“Yes, I’m sure.” He finished untangling the lights. “I think I can manage it. If I do need help, I’ll yell for you.”

“Okay,” Colette replied. She watched him for a moment longer as he carefully picked his way across the roof, a strand of lights trailing behind him. Then she retreated into the warmth of the house again, intending to brew some tea for when he came inside - he would no doubt need something hot to chase away the cold.

Though Christmas music played quietly in the background, Colette could still just hear the muted footsteps on the roof above. She also heard a sudden _thud_ and a skidding noise, and spun around just in time to see movement out of the corner of her eye. Immediately after, there was a metallic scraping and the ladder fell over.

“Oh…!” She ran to the door, threw it open, and ran outside. “Cain?”

He was lying in a heap, nearly invisible underneath a pile of snow that had no doubt fallen from the roof and landed on top of him. Colette hurried over and started brushing snow off of him.

He sat up suddenly, coughing. Colette watched on with concern, patting his back slightly.”Are you alright?”

Cain laughed a little, sounding breathless. “I’m alright, I just…” Another raspy exhale. “I just knocked the wind out of myself. Nothing broke except my dignity. I lost my balance, slipped down the roof, and fell off. I tried to grab the ladder in an attempt to keep from falling; looks like all I did was take it down with me.” He started to stand.

Colette offered him her hand, and he hesitated for a minute before taking it in his and allowing her to help him up. “Thank you.”

She didn’t let go of his hand, tugging him toward the door. “Come on inside.” 

Cain shook his head. “I’m almost finished putting the lights up. Just a few more minutes, and you’ll be set.”

“You can finish putting them up later,” Colette replied sternly, tugging on his hand again. “You’re coming inside to warm up first. And don’t argue - in case you can’t tell, I don’t have a coat or gloves on, and I’d like to get back inside as well.”

Cain held up his free hand in a gesture of submission. “Alright. Inside I go.” He followed her into the house where she promptly deposited a cup of hot peppermint tea into his hand and made sure he sat down near the fire. 

They were quiet for a moment, and suddenly both seemed acutely aware that they were still holding hands. Colette withdrew her hand first; Cain cleared his throat a little and glanced down at his tea.

After another second of silence, he looked at her with raised eyebrows. “I really am alright,” he repeated.

She peered back at him. “Since you seem to be able to walk and talk well enough, I’ll believe you. That doesn’t mean you aren’t cold though, so you’re not going anywhere until you’re warmer.”

“I won’t, I won’t; don’t worry.” Cain took a sip of his tea, crossing his ankles and watching the fire. 

“Do you have plans for Christmas?” Colette asked curiously, letting her sweater sleeves slide down over her hands and using them as mittens with which to hold her tea. 

“No,” Cain replied, still watching the flickering flames. “I haven’t really had plans for Christmas in years. I just go about my day as I usually do.”

Colette blinked, surprised. Cain glanced sideways at her, smiling briefly. As an explanation, he said, “It’s been a while since I had the ability to get together with family and friends.” 

The expression in his eyes made Colette feel like it hadn’t been years but centuries since Cain had been with loved ones for the holidays. She told herself she was imagining things and said quietly, “I’m sorry.”

He shrugged, drinking down half of his tea in one swig. “It’s fine.” He gave her a smile of reassurance, but she couldn’t shake the idea she was seeing a different emotion in his eyes than she saw on his face. “Now, I’m going to go put those lights up. It shouldn’t be much longer.”

Before Colette could decide on a response, Cain had disappeared outside again. A few moments later, she heard the ladder lean up against the house, and footsteps ascending it to the roof. Still thinking, Colette got up from the chair near the fire and retreated to the kitchen to pour herself another cup of tea.

Cain hadn’t been exaggerating - it didn’t take much longer for him to put the rest of the lights and decorations up, and he was back inside after just ten minutes. “There you go. Once it’s dark, you can turn them on; if you want them moved, or something else, let me know and I can come back and fix it.”

“Thank you so much,” Colette responded. “It means a lot you took the time to help me with the decorations.” 

“I was happy to help.” He rubbed his palms together, then cupped his hands and exhaled into them. 

“Would you like to stay for supper?” Colette offered. 

He opened his mouth, about to respond, but then hesitated. Then, his countenance seeming more somber, he replied, “No, I should probably be getting back. Thank you, though, the offer is kind of you.” 

So they bade one another farewell, and Colette set about to making supper. She couldn’t stop thinking of how she seemed to be the only person Cain spoke with, and of the look in his eyes when she had asked him about his plans for Christmas.

 

Christmas Eve arrived, and Colette was on her way to Ella’s house. Ella hosted a little Christmas party every year - well, she called it ‘little’, but Colette always saw more people at Ella’s parties than she did in an entire week at work.

Ella had all but forced Colette to go - Colette hadn’t wanted to. But Ella was persuasive.

So, wearing an emerald green dress (with a long white coat over it to protect from the cold until she arrived) and her hair done up in a waterfall braid, Colette was on her way. Surely she could manage a few hours; then she could return home and read a book by the fire until she fell asleep.

As she drove along the route that would take her to Ella’s house, Colette couldn’t stop thinking about Cain and what he had said days earlier. 

She didn’t like the idea of this man who had been nothing but warmhearted to people since arriving being alone for Christmas. Then again, if Ella… 

… Ella would tease and play matchmaker no matter what. Realising this, Colette - making certain no one else was on the roads - came to a stop and made a very cautious U-turn, making her way back to town.

Driving by the tree farm, she noted that the lights were all off inside the office. So she didn’t stop, continuing on her way until she reached the inn. She parked outside and walked into the lobby, approaching the desk. “Pardon me.”

The receptionist looked up. “Yes, ma’am?”

“I’m looking for someone, and I’m not sure which room he’s in,” Colette explained. “His name is Cain–” She paused, realising she had never asked him what his last name was.

Fortunately, his first name was unique enough that she didn’t have to. The receptionist nodded. “He’s on the second floor, last room on the right.”

“Thank you.” Colette made her way up a staircase and down a hallway, stopping in front of the door the receptionist had indicated. Drawing in a breath to steady her nerves, Colette rapped on the door.

There was silence, and she was about to knock again, but then footsteps sounded. A moment later, the door swung open. Cain stood there, dressed in a pair of cargo trousers and a flannel shirt. He blinked at her, slightly wide-eyed and clearly stunned. His gaze flicked down to the bit of emerald-green showing near her ankles beneath her white coat, then to her hair without lingering. 

She smiled, suddenly feeling very shy and wondering what she had been thinking. “Hello.”

“Uh…” Cain finally managed to regain his composure. “Hello, what… what can I do for you? Is everything alright?”

“Oh, everything’s fine,” Colette reassured him. “I actually…” She hesitated, and then plowed on. “I actually had a question.”

He nodded, waiting for her to ask the question. With one more pause, she said, “I was wondering if you would like to come to my friend’s house with me for her Christmas Eve get-together.”

He didn’t say anything for quite some time, his expression unreadable. But his eyes still held the same quiet surprise - they seemed to ask why she was asking him, of all people. Finally, he managed to speak. “I… I don’t know her though, she probably wouldn’t want–”

“She welcomes anyone to her house during parties, trust me,” Colette interrupted. “She won’t mind you showing up at all, I promise.”

He still looked reluctant. “I don’t have anything formal to wear,” he admitted in a low voice, resting one hand on the doorframe.

“You don’t need anything formal,” Colette said. “Somebody was there once wearing bellbottoms and a bright red sweatshirt, for heavens’ sake.” She laughed a little at the memory. “A pair of clean jeans and the black coat you were wearing when we ran into each other at the coffeeshop would work just fine.”

Cain looked like he was about to ask if she was absolutely sure she wanted him to come. She spoke before he could. “I would very much appreciate it if you came; no one should be alone on Christmas Eve.” She realised that she meant those words for both Cain and herself.

He shrugged a little, chuckling. “Okay. Wait here, I’ll go change.” 

She nodded, then stood and waited as he shut the door and disappeared. She couldn’t believe that she was doing this - no, she should, this was a simple gesture of kindness. It had nothing to do with feelings or love.

She had never been good at lying, especially not to herself.

The door opened again, and she turned around. Cain was there, dressed in a casual yet formal sort of way - dark jeans, a white button up shirt, and a slightly worn grey blazer. He had his hands pushed into his pockets, and rocked a little on his heels. 

“I found some old things that might look a little better than just the coat and flannel shirt.” His tone of voice was a bit uncertain, as though he were posing a question to her rather than making a statement.

“You look very handsome.” The words escaped before she could fully comprehend what she was saying, and she felt her cheeks warm. 

He ducked his head in a sheepish sort of way. “Thanks.” Glancing up, he added “You’re very lovely tonight too, by the way.”

Now she was certain that she was blushing. “Thank you.”

After a beat of silence, Cain remarked, “I guess we should be going, before your friend wonders where you’ve gone.” There was a pause, and then he turned toward her, offering her his arm in an old-fashioned but charming sort of motion.

Colette carefully reached out and tucked her hand into the crook of his arm, accepting his gentlemanly gesture. Then the two of them made their way downstairs and out into the cold of the night.

 

Sure enough, the moment Colette and Cain entered Ella’s house, snowflakes melting upon their hair, Ella shot an ‘I told you so’ glance at Colette and grinned. 

The evening was a warm, joyful one, and Colette found herself enjoying a social gathering for the first time in nearly two years. Cain didn’t seem too ecstatic about all the people, and kept to himself, lingering near the punchbowl or along the edges of the room. 

But he did make an effort to respond to anyone who spoke to him, and when Colette joined him in the corner, she could see his face visibly light up and the tension in his shoulders disappear. They stood and talked, until Ella played the music louder and declared a dance.

Most of the other couples were dancing before Cain apparently gathered up the courage to set his glass of wine down and step in front of Colette, quietly offering his hand. She knew somewhere in her heart that by taking it, she would be letting go of her past and allowing herself to move into the future, and it was frightening.

But was living in the past any less frightening?

So she smiled, and gently took his hand. They danced until the party was nearly over, and Colette felt like the entire world had faded away, leaving behind nothing but Cain’s warm hands and bright blue eyes. 

But the world still did exist, and so did Ella’s knowledgeable gaze when Colette finally brought herself back to reality and met her friend’s eyes. She said nothing.

She didn’t want the night to end, but it had to. On the way back to town, she asked Cain if he would like to spend Christmas Day at her house - since neither of them had any plans for that particular day. To her contentment, he said yes. They bade one another farewell outside of the inn, and Colette returned home.

The first thing her eyes fell upon when she walked inside was the golden anchor, nestled among other ornaments in the boughs of the tree, lights reflecting against it like tiny stars. 

“ _The anchor is a symbol of hope. It remains steady in the stormiest seas, no matter what. St. Paul said, ‘which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast’._ ”

Colette smiled.


End file.
